27 December 2008

Dahaiwale Aloo Gobi

As promised, tonight I cooked from Atul Kochhar's Indian Essence.I had all the spices needed for this curry in the India Pantry in a Box except for onion seeds, so since I still had some onion-related chives in the fridge, I threw those in instead. If you're going for authenticity, omit the chives and add 1 tsp onion seeds along with the cloves, cardamom, etc.

1. Cut the potatoes into wedges. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and lightly fry the potato wedges and cauliflower, turning, for 3–5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Add the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon and bay leaf to the oil remaining in the pan, and sauté for a minute or two until the spices crackle.

3. Return the potatoes and cauliflower to the pan and add the turmeric, chili powder, salt and sugar. Mix well and add 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked.

4. Add the chives, tomatoes and yogurt, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and sprinkle with garam masala to serve.